Local historian Larry Peterson will be presenting his award-winning book, "American Trinity," focusing on influences, factors, and forces that culminated in the collision of European and Native American civilizations. Peterson says, “Shining the light on all the dark corners of American history is painful.” However, he points out that deeper understanding of our national history and human nature allows us to have a better understanding of our future. This should be a very enlightening as well as informative evening. Jim Cornelius will also be joining.

Written in a scholarly style yet easily accessible, "American Trinity" emphasizes the tragic history of American Indians, while connecting their treatment to other cultures in prior centuries such as the Jews, enslaved Africans, and beleaguered Christians. Peterson details the collision of European and Native American civilizations and the bloody aftermath that doomed a once-thriving people. Wide-ranging and brimming with fresh insights, "American Trinity" focuses on how the West was shaped by three implacable forces: Christian imperialism, Thomas Jefferson's Doctrine of Discovery, and George Armstrong Custer's hubris. As Peterson says, "History is important. When there is no knowledge of the past, there cannot be a vision of the future."